Not Johnny, Jannie!
by DaringGirl55
Summary: Fem!Johnny! Near exactly like the tv show, accept for Jannie Miller, who is a country girl if you've ever seen one! She does't take shit from anybody, especially people who think their better than others just because they live in the sky! By the end of chapter two, she just might beat Trey down to size! Rated T for language. R&R!


Lights and explosions burst all around me. No, not fireworks. I was in the middle of a warzone! And I was completely exposed, just floating there because of the parachute on my back. How'd I go from a simple Farm Girl to in the middle of a huge firefight in the same day? Pa-lease! I'D like to know!

It started yesterday I suppose. I had just put in a new rotor in my homemade jet!

* * *

"Woohoo!" I cheered, as I corkscrewed and barrel rolled through the open sky. My deep blue eyes were wide with excitement as I sped past everything. I almost lost control on the last roll of my last maneuver. Almost. "A bit shaky, but nothing I can't handle." I mutter to myself proudly. I look back for a half a second to look at the spirals I had created with the exhaust, and when I look forward again, there in front of me, is a chopper.

In my panic, all I see is us colliding, and crashing to the ground in a heap of smoke and flames. I yank the wheel towards me, sending me and my jet going vertical with the ground. With the initial threat over, I pull the wheel towards me again, sending me upside down, and then it was a simple turn that got me upright and straight again. Though a jet cannot full stop while in the air, I had it going a LOT slower than before so I could watch the newcomer. The chopper I nearly hit was making a beeline for Aunt Louise's farmhouse.

If there's one thing I'm known for around here -other than my slight obsession with flying- it's my troublesome curiosity. _I suppose I already tested out everything on this thing that really needed to be tested._ I set my flight path back to the house, and it wasn't long before I was jumping out of the brown hunk of metal and running over to where Aunt Louise stood by a man.

The new guy stood tall -taller than Aunt Louise by at LEAST a foot!-, and had his shoulder back in a commanding way, but his face was twisted in a satisfied, maybe delighted, smile.

"Here she comes now!" I heard Aunt Louise say heartily.

"Well hello there!" The man calls as I'm running over. "Sorry if I scared you up there!"

I slow my pace to a walk as I approach the two. "No. Completely my fault!" I said as I rubbed the back of my neck, I smiled in a reassuring way, "We don't usually have much traffic here…" My voice faded off as I studied the man more closely. "Wait a goddamn minute! YOU'RE George Strong! chairman of the Aerial Racing Circuit!" I thrilled.

"Jannie!" Aunt Louise chided, glaring at me with a piercing stare. "Don't use such language!"

I grounded my teeth together and said, "But everyone else around here does! Even Old Man Greg!" I complained.

"Well you, young lady, are smarter than that! And I won't have my great granddaughter using such crude language!" And just to make me ashamed, she played the one card she probably shouldn't have, "What would your father think?"

I looked to the ground, forcing the burning behind my eyes to stay in that state. I took a couple breaths to calm down and looked to Mr. Strong. "So, why are you here, if you don't mind me asking."

"I heard," He said, he too probably pretending that what had just occurred DIDN'T happen, "That you had the talent to be a pro Jet Racer! The ARC pre-season qualification round is tomorrow and I'd like to offer you an official invitation!"

I stood there, probably looking like one of the cows, with my eyes wide and mouth hanging slightly open. Aunt Louise seemed thrilled, even though it wasn't her being asked. "Are…" Then my brain finally kick back into gear and i was more than ecstatic! "Are you saying I'm ready to go pro?"

"It won't be easy. As an unseated rooky, you'll need to win a qualifying race, or you won't make the circuit this year." He explained.

I jumped and pumped my fist in the air, "Bring it on! I'll embarrass my opponent so badly, that they'll never step FOOT near another jet again!" Clearing my throat, I calmly said, "I mean, I'll have to talk it over with my aunt and stuff…"

"Sweetheart, do you really think I'd tell you 'no' with how excited you just were a moment ago?" Aunt Louise smirked, and I was once again pumped. "If your dad were still with us, you know he'd tell you to go for it, and give it all you got!" That was all I needed.

"You bet I'll be there Mr. Strong! Not even wild, flying buffalo could stop me from getting to that race!" He gave me a strange look, but smiled and shook his head.

"Remember, Jannie, the qualifier is tomorrow morning. You miss it, you're out." He handed me one of his business cards and walked back to his chopper.

* * *

An hour. An hour is how long it took for the jitters to set in. 'Set it' is the wrong way to put it. I was packing my trunk with a few of my favorite outfits -jeans and button-up shirts mostly- when suddenly, BAM! All these worries started to overflow my mind, and fear struck every chord in my heart.

Aunt Louise found me huddled in my closet muttering to myself all the questions that hit me, such as, "What if I'm not good enough?" "What if I'm not as good as everyone tells me?" "What if, when I get there, I find out I'm completely AWFUL at jet racing?" "What if I have to come home, humiliated beyond belief?"

Aunt Louise took me by the arms, and guided me up to my feet. She then took me out of my closet and over to a full length mirror that hung on my wall by the door. Right by the mirror sat my desk, and from off of it, Aunt Louise plucked off an old photo. She handed it to me and I looked from it, to my reflection. The photo was of me and dad when I was almost seven, a month before he left for the last time.

When I was little, I had bright, tomato red hair like dad. I looked up, and saw a mop of Brown-ish red hair; "Rebel Red" Old Man Greg called it. I hadn't cut it much sense then, but it had only grown out to my mid-back. It was still untamable, curly mess, but it was pretty, or so I was told. When I was little, I wore cute little overalls and whatever t-shirt had had put me in that morning. Now, I often wore plaid, long sleeved shirts and dark blue jeans. Sometimes I would wear my white cowgirl hat if the occasion was right.

Placing her hand on my shoulders, she said, "You are a strong-willed young woman, and when you put your mind to anything, you CAN do it. I have complete faith that if you wholeheartedly believe you can win the qualifying race tomorrow, then you will."

I looked from her reflection to the picture in my hands. My dad smiled up at me, practically telling me I could do anything, just like Aunt Louise said. And if Dad said it, then it must be true! Taking in a deep breath, I huffed it all out and let a smile grace my face. " I can do it." I told my reflection.

Aunt Louise smiled, patted my shoulder, and left my room so I could finish packing. I smiled brightly at my reflection and said, "I'm GOING to win that race!"

* * *

The sky was bright blue, and not a cloud in the sky to obscure my flight path. "There it is!" I sang as a large metal city floating in the sky came into view. "Soaring Heights! I can't believe I'm actually HERE!" And for any such special occasion, I had to bring dad along. In more ways than one. I had put on his old, brown leather jacket, and kept his picture in the breast pocket. Yeah, it was a little roomy in the large jacket, but I could have sworn it still smelled like him, whatever he smelled like.

As my jet flew over the tall buildings, I looked out the window at the cityscape. I was mesmerized by the amazing sight. Even if I didn't win, this would make it worth the trip. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted something black following me. Curious, I flew up a bit, and it flew up to stay the same distance from me as before. I checked my radar and it would appear that there was not just one, but TWO tiny jets following me. They started getting too close for comfort, so naturally, I steered to get away from them, like I practiced back home. they still didn't leave! They then came up on my sides, and started getting REALLY close. Growling, I brought the nose of my jet up, causing it to catch the wind, slowing me down, right before the two jets nearly sandwiched me.

Two things happened after that. First; the black jets split off, and ran. Yay me. Second; My warning system starts going off, and I nearly got hit by two OTHER jets! What a day! Quickly, I piloted my jet into a side-flight, just barely missing both jets. I was close enough to see into the cockpit of the blue jet, and the moron wasn't wearing a helmet! What if you should have need to turn yellow-bellied and shoot out? He wouldn't have anything to help protect him! He's probably over confidant in his abilities. I scoffed at his presumptuous attitude, and aimed my tail down to head straight up.

When I leveled out again, two police jets came up behind me, taking the old positions of the back jets. "_Unidentified jet, you have entered private ARC airspace. Please leave the racing lane immediately._" I heard crack through the radio.

Sighing, I called back through, "I would gladly leave, But I have no idea where I'm going. Perhaps you can direct me? I'm trying to get to the pre-season qualification rounds for the ARC."

"_Unit 403, head back to our post. I'll lead the citizen where they need to go._" I hear through the radio. One of the police jets broke off and the other flew in front of me. "_Follow me please_."

"Thank you." I said as I followed orders.

He slowed his jet and tipped the right wing down in a way of pointing. "_That's where you'll want to be. Good luck._" And he was gone.

_At least I know where I'm supposed to be._ I thought as I maneuvered to an open bay. Jumping out, of my jet I breathed in the fresh air. I looked around at my new surrounding with awe, as it was so different than what I knew. Over the mega-speakers They announced that the next qualification race would begin "shortly", and I was psyched!

"I'm actually here!" I breathed. From behind I felt a painful shove, and I fell to my hands and knees. Jumping up, I turned on my "attacker" and balled my fists. It was mr. cocky.

"Yo buddy! What's your damage?" He barked angrily.

And, of course, having no idea what he was saying, I make a complete fool of myself and make some unintelligible noise that sounded somewhat like a question.

"You came close enough to shave the paint off my wing!" Temper. Wonderful. Thing is; I happen to have a short temper as well, so, look out "big boy", I'm not done.

I let out a laugh that was filled with absolutely no humor. "Maybe next time I'll hit you rather than avoid it! You could probably use a little humiliation, huh, Big Boy?"

He looked taken aback at… my voice? Weird. Leave it to me to leave a guy speechless. Probably not use to be stood up to.

"Going the wrong way in a racing lane is pretty dangerous." A girl, dressed in a green jumpsuit, said as she and another boy walked over to Dufus and I.

"Give me a break! If it weren't for those damned back jets trying to send me spiraling to the ground in flames, I wouldn't have even been NEAR the race lane!" I snapped. Yeah, she was a nice enough girl, but Mr. Cocky Dufus had put me in a bad mood.

Mr. Cocky Dufus changed from one shocked face to another, and said, "Black jets? As in 'Black Cloud' jets?"

"How should I know! I haven't been here more than twenty minutes and already I seemed to attract the trouble here!" I said, placing my hands on my hips.

"Speaking of Jets, yours is nice. Make it yourself?" Miss Green asked, her voice holding sarcasm.

"Yeah, what of it? I had to strip some old farm equipment to get the thing in the AIR. Not like YOU of course."

The guy that had tagged along with the girl in green looked up from his, what I assume was a video game, and said, "Are you a girl?"

I was taken aback. Not that that isn't the rudest thing I've ever heard, just the rudest thing I've ever heard directed at ME! "Excuse me?"

Obviously he knew he had insulted me, because he started rubbing his neck and stuttering, and found the metal floor far more interesting, "W-well, you just...just LOOK like a dude...a-and sound like a girl…" Oh, he was only digging himself deeper.

I ripped the helmet off my head, letting my hair fall in wavy curls over my shoulders. Now they got a clear view of my death glare, and they all backed up a half a step. "If you MUST know, this jacket was my dads!" Tears burned behind my eyes again as I thought of Dad.

"Well, that's really sweet then!" Miss Green said, trying to talk me down out of my anger. "I'm Maggie by the way! Maggie Strong! Mr. Sunshine there is Trey Jordan, and the international superstar with his noses in the game is Zachary Kim. What's your name?"

"Jannie. Jannie Miller... Wait, 'Strong'? As in, daughter of George Strong?" I asked.

"Last time I checked!" She sang.

I smiled at her a bit, "Cool! Your dad just recruited me!"

The group all had wide eyes as they stared at me in shock. "No way!" Maggie said.

"You gotta be kiddin'!" Mr. Cocky Dufus, also known as Trey, said.

Zachary was smart enough to not say anything.

"Why's that so hard to believe?" I demanded. "What, Farm kids not allowed up here?"

"Whoa! We didn't say that! It's just, Dad doesn't really recruit people. Not unless…" Maggie never finished because of Mr. Cocky Dufus jumping in on her sentence.

"We don't know that! She could be lying for all we know!"

Oh, I was on the brink of jumping him, and ripping his throat out, right now!

"_The next qualification round will now begin! First up, Jeanene Miller vs. Zachary Kim!" _

Zachary had gone back to his video game who knows how long ago, and looked up with a dumb look on his face, and to emphasize it, he announced, "Hey, that's me! Awesome!"

"Ouch! Tough match up, Farm Girl!" He had a kind of smirk-ish smile on his face, and I just wanted to punch it off!

Maggie to the rescue, again. "Zach is ranked in the top 10! Guess you won't be going pro after all." She didn't sound snarkish, but there was no hint of sympathy either.

"Hmmf! Thanks for the borish conversation! I think I'll take my leave of you now." I wrapped my hair back into a bun like thing at the back of my neck, and plunked my helmet back on my head. I turned away from them, and clambered up into my jet before any of them could say another word, and locked the window down. I wanted to scream my rage out, burn my lungs with how angry I was, but then people on the other end of the platform would think something was wrong.

* * *

I was on the track. Right next to Zach's yellow jet. I tried to focus my energies into checking to see that all systems were functioning properly. But Zach wouldn't shut up!

"_I know I'm already qualified and everything, but I still have to give a hundred and ten percent, you know!" _

By the time this race was finished, my teeth would probably be very, VERY flat, with how painfully I've been grinding them all day.

"_You won't be mad? Cus I'd understand if you were. Not that it would change anything, you're still gonna be choking on my exhaust here in about ten seconds._"

"You can shut up now." I stated, as I finished up with the before flight checks. At the press of a button, my engines set into position, and I gripped the wheel.

"_Oh, that actually reminds me; I can't fly without my tunes!" _And not long after, there was a painfully annoying beat coming from his jet, that was making mine vibrate. Be was bobbing his head to the beat. He flashed a thumbs up at me from his jet, and I could help but scoff.

"What a show-off!" I muttered.

"_Racers prepare for air in 3… 2… 1…Laaaaaaaaaunch!" _

Before he had even finished the word, Zach and I were in the air. The hoops were too small for two jets to fit side by side, but that worked for me. I let Zach take the lead, and he was more than happy to, at first. Zach did all the work, and I got a free ride!

"_Hey! There's plenty of sky! Quite riding my tail!" _He sounded annoyed. Good! But I didn't quit it like he so "nicely" asked! I followed him through about three more rings before he spoke again.

"_You came to play, now let's see if you to the moves!" _He really didn't do anything complicated, he just drifted from side to side. Still, times up.

"Well, it's been a blast, but I think it's time for me to take first place!" I called through the headset. I swooped underneath him, and took to making my jet go faster and faster. I could hear his shocked, disoriented sentence on the other end of the radio, but I didn't focus on the words. I kept him perfectly behind me, and pushed ahead. It wasn't long before the green checkered gate was in view. I laughed joyously as I hit it first.

Back at the landing platform, I jumped out of my jet, totally ignited. I jumped and punched the air, cheering for my victory. It was short lived, because Zach came over. Not that I wasn't still pumped with adrenaline.

"Dude! You totally burned me! Do you HAVE turbo-boosters?" His voice had a bit of an accusing tone, but in my state, I didn't care.

"You kidding? This buck doesn't even have seat cushions!" I joked. It was weird when he laughed, because everybody back home said I had no sense of humor, and never laughed unless I DID something funny.

"You're gonna pay for that next time!" He smiled. I laughed with him. And then, to make my mood soar, Mr. Strong came over personally.

"Jannie! So glad you made it!" He said as he strode over.

"I told you I'd win!" I gestured over to Zach, "Perhaps I didn't humiliate him like I planned, cuz he **IS** good, but I'm still the winner!"

"Your aunt will be happy to hear that her niece is now the newest pro racer in ARC family!" He said proudly.

"YES!" I shrieked. Calming myself, I stood straighter, "I suppose if I'm to stay that way, I'd better practice, huh?"

He laughed shortly, placing his hand on my shoulder and said, "Don't think you're the best, huh?" He looked over my shoulder and I peeked out the corner of my eye to see THEM coming. "Maggie, Trey, you could learn a few things from this young woman." And then he just walked away.

_Great! Thanks for leaving me in the fire! If one of them gets hurt, not my fault! _I thought angrily, but I didn't show it on my face, not till Maggie opened her big mouth.

"Well I'm not impressed!" She said sassily. "Despite what my Dad seems to think, winning one race doesn't make you pro material ya know!"

"Yeah! Some victory!" Trey berated. "That was a cheat move! Tricks are one thing, but remember; you won't last long without the skill to back it up!"

Looking to them with pure hatred sparking in my eyes, I shot back, "This how you treat all newbie's? Or just the ones that don't fit your standards? And just so you know; I DO have the skills! I bet I could fly circles around you airheads!"

"I bet my jet you can't!" Trey said automatically. "Care to stake yours on it?"

"Don't do it, Jannie! Trey is marked number 1 on the circuit!" Zach whispered to me.

"Number 1, huh?" I sneered, "Well no wonder he has such a big head! It's filled with his ego!" Trey growled, and I continued, "You know what, it would be my pleasure to knock you down a peg!"


End file.
